Harmonix slashes staff

Harmonix has slashed between 12-15 percent of its staff with news that it will be embarking on an internal realignment to better meet its current title plans going forward. The Boston-based studio is currently home to an estimated 240 employees.

Analysts that we spoke with tell us that the cuts are not actually that unexpected, given the turbulent times that Harmonix has been undergoing as of late. Harmonix claims that they will be working to make sure that those affected by the restructuring will be taken care of as they make this change.

The company is said to be currently working on additional content for Rock Band 3 and Dance Central. Beyond this it has been rumored that the company is developing a music game for the 3DS, but little is known what the company has planned beyond this. Rumors of another Rock Band and Dance Central title continue, but they have yet to be confirmed by Harmonix.

Investment Firm Columbus Nova purchased the studio in a transaction in early 2011. Since the purchase, the studio has been a bit quiet on the future plans of the company; but with its IP still intact and many possible options for future releases, the company is said to be working on a future strategy. With the drop off in music peripheral games, the company looks to be a bit ahead of the curve with the release of Dance Central, which takes the company in a new direction with its first Kinect-enabled dance title for the Xbox 360.